by Dean Towers

About 12 hours earlier (Friday night), The Meadowlands’ faithful suffered through a rain storm, a half hour inquiry delay and a recall because of a power outage. Things can only get better, right, so let’s go!

Here are my thoughts on the Saturday (Aug. 3) Hambletonian Day card as it evolved:

Although the drivers and trainers may have been sleepy, the bettors are not. The Pick 6 pool, which usually attracts around $10,000 on a normal card, blew it out of the water with over six figures wagered in race 1. Dexter Dunn and Upallnight Hanover took advantage of some stout fractions to capitalize in the Continentalvictory with a sweet trip. Off we go!

I’ll save my criticism of the pacing Triple Crown for another day, but the horses and drivers in the Cane Pace didn’t know it was a short field buried early in the card and they raced, with three lead changes before the half. Meadowlands Pace champion Legendary Hanover got the job done in a quick 1:46.2.

In the Muscle Hill, bettors again responded with a six-figure Pick-5 pool, so handle seemed quite good at this point. Trainer Per Engblom recently noted that he thought Supernova Hanover was coming along, and for sharps that listened it delivered a $34 mutuel. Driver Dunn has won two of the first three.

In the Continentalvictory for fillies, the Dunn bomb-show continued with Slip Sliding Away. How often do we see a $480 Pick 3 when a 1-5 shot kicks it off? The multi-leg Pick-5 and 6 are getting juicy for players.

Excitement is the order of the day thus far, and Rocket Deo scorched a big first-half to victory in 1:49 in the Shady Daisy. In five races we’ve seen only one favorite. They are racing!

Trainer Ake Svanstedt is known for winning races on big days, and in the rich New Jersey Sire Stake final for colts, he ran one-two, with the beautifully-gaited Nordic Catcher S getting all the chocolates. It appears there were only 13 or 14 winning tickets in the 20-cent Pick-6 which cashed for over eight large.

Oakwood Ardan IR continues to mow down his rivals with relative ease; this time at 6-5 for his backers. The gelded son of Sweet Lou is now 15-for-21 on this side of the pond. I’ve loved watching this guy develop over the winter.

Something tells me Sam McKee would’ve enjoyed the McKee, where Rocknroll Runa A charged hard and lit up the tote board. This Hambletonian Day is really shaping up to be quite interesting. Congratulations to Mark MacDonald with the slick catch drive.

In the Steele, all one can say is ‘wow’ with M-M’s Dream. She looked beaten badly around the turn but found her best stride late. She is just all racehorse and I’m sure Ron Burke would like a barn full with heart like that. The crowd bet her like she was going to be very good today and she was. Finally, another favorite (or a co-favorite at least).

Sometimes a horse who loses is the story, and it was probably that with Southwind Tyrion in the Cashman. During an unscheduled downpour he went a whale of a trip, and may have made it mighty interesting if driver David Miller let him clear before the half. In the end, the Queen of trotting, Jiggy Jog S, popped off his back and set a stakes record in 149.2. The chalk is back on Hambletonian Day!

Okay. The big one just went off – the one we all came for, the Hambletonian. Since this is a real-time column all I can say first is: that might’ve been the greatest driver celebration I’ve ever seen! Yannick looked like he started whooping it up at the sixteenth pole.

Frankly who can blame him.

Gingras has won just about everything except the Hambletonian. He’s one of the best I’ve ever seen and he’s a friend to bettors, too, as he always gives your money a shot. I could not be happier for that man.

I thought it was a fitting win for Karl. Ever since he set foot on the track he’s looked like something special. We all know how things go in this game with horses, and for him to fulfill his promise more than a year later is a great story. What a job by the Takter crew.

Speaking of good stories, if Highland Kismet would’ve held on it would’ve been one for the ages in this long and storied sport. Regardless, I’m certain the Etsell barn is proud of their charge. He was absolutely tremendous in defeat.

A quick look at last year’s numbers tells me handle was better for this year’s Hambletonian. Whether it was the timing, TV coverage, or happenstance, it looked solid. But it’s nice to see because this day and this particular event is so important.

It didn’t take long for Nancy Takter to head back to the winner’s circle after a sparkling performance from Champagne Problems. Takter even ran second to boot.

This day at the Meadowlands continue to be nothing but interesting. The Oaks was a barnburner with a longshot winner in Warrawee Michelle, some traffic trouble, and sadly, a favorite who didn’t seem to fire on such a big day.

The cream seems to always rise to the top, doesn’t it? Warrawee Michelle was a juggernaut last year, and after a slow start (and well-reported surgery) she stars on the sport’s biggest day.

To the owners (and bettors) of Date Night Hanover, that was a very tough break. And to Annie Stoebe who had Elista Hanover coming into the race as good as one can, I feel for you. My goodness, this game can be difficult.

The Lady Liberty is usually a grand race where some of the greats get to show their stuff. Right now, I am not sure there’s a more dominant pacer in racing than Twin B Joe Fresh is there? Assuming Sylvia Hanover didn’t have her best stuff today, she still romped away from the very good Prohibition Legal who was on her back, and everyone else for that matter.

I’ve always felt Chris Ryder was one of the sharpest trainers in the sport. He has that mare insanely good and it was a fitting close to a great stakes day.

I think this is my ninth or 10^th Hambletonian Day diary for Harness Racing Update. Each and every one have been a joy to write, and if they’re even 10 per cent as enjoyable to read I’m a happy columnist.

A sincere thank you to the trainers, drivers and horses — along with The Meadowlands and Hambletonian Society — for putting on such a magnificent day once again this year.